Once the ingredients were laid out, the actual task of enchanting the weapon was quite simple. Dawn and Cordelia worked on it in near silence, both unable to keep their minds off the argument they had had.

Once they were finished, they exited the bedroom in which they had performed the ritual and headed down to the main lobby where Lorne and Fred could be found, attempting to concoct a truth potion that worked.

"All right Lorne, open up and we'll try it again." Fred was holding a teaspoon of a very nasty looking liquid that, judging from Lorne's expression likely tasted worse than it looked.

"Aw c'mon Fred, I have a weak stomach." Lorne protested, grimacing at the potion that she encouraged him to drink. "Can't we take a break or something?"

"We have to get this working Lorne," Fred said, a little impatiently. "It's not that bad."

"Oh easy for your to say," Lorne muttered to himself, "you haven't been downing shots of this sludge for the last twenty minutes. Just because I'm a demon doesn't mean my stomach is made of cast iron you know."

"This is the last try I promise." Fred exclaimed. "I'm almost certain I got the mixture right this time."

"You better hope so," Lorne warned her. "One more taste test and I'm going to toss my cookies and let me tell you sweat-pea, Pylean stomach contents are less pretty than you think."

"I know," Fred said with a shudder. "I lived there for five years remember?"

"Let's just get this over with," Lorne said, trying to hurry the torture up. Fred nodded and administered the teaspoon of the potion into Lorne's mouth. Cordelia and Dawn watched as he gagged a moment and then, miraculously his eyes glazed over and his jaw went slack.

"Did it work?" Dawn asked, her voice awed slightly. Fred looked up, finally noticing the two of them were there.

"I don't know." She answered honestly. "The last seven times he tried the stuff he was perfectly normal and able to lie. Obviously this time it's different. I just hope it's different in the 'the potion worked' way and not the 'Lorne is a vegetable' way. I'm still sorta new to this potion brewing thing."

"Ask him a question." Cordelia suggested. "Let's test it out."

"OK..." Fred thought for a moment, searching her mind for a question that Lorne would definitely lie about on a regular basis.

"What do you think of Angel's singing voice Lorne?" Cordelia interrupted before Fred could ask a question. "Does he have any talent?"

"Sweet merciful heavens no!" Lorne exclaimed, "that man's voice is about as pleasant as a flesh eating virus!"

"I think it worked Fred." Dawn said with a snicker. "Hey, you don't think I could borrow this stuff and take it home do you? I mean what better way to find out if a guy likes you than..."

"Sorry Dawn, you can't." Fred replied apologetically. "This only works on demons. If a human were to drink it, it would be deadly."

"What about a human version of this potion?" Dawn wondered. "Surely there's one out there..."

Fred shook her head.

"Lorne and I looked through all the books. Apparently truth potions only work on demons, not humans."

"Well that certainly blows." Dawn muttered in annoyance. "Who makes up these laws of the universe anyway? I'd like to have a talk with them."

"OK, so we've got it right?" Cordelia said impatiently. "Shouldn't we get the others in here and get on with questioning this demon before we get attacked or whatever?"

"Cordelia's right, we should get this over with as soon as possible." Fred agreed. Dawn was still staring at Lorne, her expression contemplative.

"What about him? How long is this going to last?"

"I don't know." Fred finally admitted. "The book didn't say anything about the time limit."

"You mean this could be permanent?" Dawn exclaimed. Fred's face went stark white as she pondered the concept.

"I...I guess..." She trailed off, then shook her head. "No way, it'll wear off eventually, I'm sure of it."

However, as the gang headed towards the door to call Buffy, Gunn, Angel and Connor inside, none of them looked entirely sure.